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Brooklyn Today: February 16, 2012

Brooklyn Today: February 16, 2012

Good morning. Today is the 47th day of the year. It is the birth anniversary (1904) of George Kennan, the U.S. diplomat who, in a 1947 article in Foreign Affairs, first proposed the philosophy of containing communism. In the article, titled, “The Sources of Soviet Conduct,” and attributed to “Mr. X,” Kennan rejected the idea of armed conflict with the Soviet Union, but maintained that the Soviet Union was still expansionist. He called for shows of U.S. military force and economic intervention in at-risk nations to prevent the further spread of communism in Europe.

Well-known people who were born today include actor LeVar Burton (“Roots,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”), rapper and actor Ice-T (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) and Hall of Fame tennis player John McEnroe.

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Today from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at New York City College of Technology’s (City Tech’s) Voorhees Theater, 186 Jay St., the crew from Broadway’s Wicked will speak to students about backstage careers in the theater. Participating in the discussion will be the show’s stage manager, head carpenter, sound engineer and head electrician. ... This evening from 6 to 8 p.m., graphic designer Milton Glaser will host a book signing and discussion of his new book, In Search of the Miraculous, or One Thing Leads to Another. It will take place at the powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St., DUMBO. ... This evening at 6 p.m. at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford St., the city Department of Transportation, the Fulton Area Business Alliance, Councilwoman Letitia James and Community Board 2 will host a public hearing on the future plaza at Fowler Square, Fort Greene.

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Police are looking for a man who, on Monday morning, entered a grocery store at 77 Fourth Ave., Park Slope, pointed a silver revolver at two employees, and forced them into a storage locker at the back of the store. He then stole money, cigarettes and MetroCards before fleeing in an unknown direction. The suspect is described as a black man, 20 to 25 years old, 6 feet tall and weighing about 150 pounds.

According to New York Magazine, a coffee drink for babies and small children called the “babyccino” is sweeping Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Fort Greene and other trendy neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The drink can be either a small decaf cappuccino or steamed milk and foam with some cinnamon sprinkled on top. The trend started in Australia and has now reached the U.S.